1. Presented by JACQUELYNE
Alesi
DIRECTOR PROGRAMS
Addressing
the needs of
Addressing
the needs of
young
people living w
ith HIV
young
people living w
ith HIV
in schools of Uganda.
in schools of Uganda.

2. Objectives
bout UNYPA
tatus of HIV Prevalence in Uganda
acts in Uganda
nmet needs of YPLHIV in schools
ecommendations.

3. ABOUT UNYPA
tarted in 2003 to provide leadership and coordinate the greater
and meaningful involvement & participation of YPLHIV in
Uganda in the national, regional and global HIV and AIDS
response
dvocates improving the quality of life of young people living with
HIV in Uganda

4. Cot’d
nd as a network we are driven by the needs of young people living
with HIV and implements an evidence informed national programme
and advocacy for YPLHIV to lead healthy and productive lives.
he elements of UNYPA’s national programme and advocacy include
promoting universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and
support; fighting stigma and discrimination against young people
living with HIV; and, promoting the greater involvement of young
people living with HIV in the national HIV response

5. Mission & VISION
Mission
•Create an enabling Environment for all young people living and
affected by HIV/AIDS to meaningfully participate equally in
development of programmes that improve their lively hood.
Vision
•Positive and productive lives for all young people living and affected
by HIV/AIDS

6. Strategic Areas of intervention
UNYPA has seven main strategic areas of interventions that we always
use to justify our actions as follows:-
Lobbying and Advocacy.
Resource Mobilization.
Innovations like Minds up.
Networking, Collaboration and Leadership.
Human rights and stigma free generation.
Research and Development.
Monitoring and Evaluation

7. STATUS OF THE HIV AND AIDS EPIDEMIC INSTATUS OF THE HIV AND AIDS EPIDEMIC IN
UGANDAUGANDA
•HIV Prevalence still remains significantly high. Has stabilized at 7.3 %-
unacceptably high from 6.4%
•HIV prevalence is highest among the Most at Risk Populations (Key
Populations) including CSW, Fishing communities and mobile
populations including young people.
•Urban residents are more disproportionately affected compared to
the rural population i.e.10.2% in urban compared to 7.2% in the rural
•1.2 million people living with HIV currently in Uganda

8. HIV PREVALENCE AMONG YOUTHS
5-17 Men 1.8%, women 1.6%
8-19 Men 1.5 %. Women 5.1%
0-24 Men 2.3%, Women 7.1%
There has been an increase in the number of young
people living with HIV/AIDS. By 2007, 1,200,000 Children
(aged 0–17) had been orphaned by AIDS with an estimated
130,000 0-14 years living with HIV/AIDS.

9. Facts in Uganda.
•353 new HIV infections per day
•64,000 deaths annually
•175 deaths per day
•129,000 are new infections
•For everyone person put on ARVs two people are newly
infected with HIV

10. Knowledge of HIVKnowledge of HIV
Prevention MethodsPrevention Methods
76
90
71
82
91
78
Using condoms Limi ng sex to one uninfected
partner
Using condoms AND limit sex
to 1 partner
15-24years Percentage of who know HIV can be prevented by:

11. Beliefs About HIV & AIDSBeliefs About HIV & AIDS
Percent of women and men age 15-25 who say that:

12. EXAMPLE
“When I found out I was HIV positive I was already taking
ARVs. I wondered where I had got the virus from, as I am
still young. I was then told that I was born with the virus.
My mother and father died of it. Now I’m on second line
drugs. The challenges I face on drugs is that the drugs
are big. I always take them because I care most about
my health but I always feel pain here in my throat… The
other challenges I face is when you are with friends. Most
of the time I get to school before 6:30, because that’s
the time I take my drugs. Most of the people here see
me getting up at 6:30 and ask me why. My answer is that
it’s none of their business.”

13. Unmet needs of YPLHIV inUnmet needs of YPLHIV in
schoolsschools
 Limited access to information regarding (sexual)
relationships; they have questions like (can I have a sexual
relation with my partner? How do I tell my
girlfriend/boyfriend that am HIV positive? How can I talk
with parents about my relationship status?
 Decision making about disclosure and confidentiality of
their HIV status; how can I do it and when should I tell
people?

14. Unrecognized Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and
Rights; difficult to stay in school
Disrupted treatment; Treatment adherence is crucial for PHA but
even more so for young people living with HIV. Most cases YPLHIV
fail to take their medication while in school because of fear to be
stigmatized and discriminated.

15. How have we addressedHow have we addressed
their needs?their needs?
•The benefit of peer support to young people living
with HIV is unquestioned. HIV positive young people
need opportunities to engage with, communication
and network either virtually or in person with their
peers. This can happen via social networking
structures like Facebook or informally via support
groups and youth centers.

16. Cot’d
• We have provided Comprehensive knowledge meaning we have
provided right information while addressing the facts of common
local misconceptions about HIV prevention and transmission.

17. • The support that a young person living with HIV in school
need is not just clinical, The role of family members, the
community and friends in providing a conducive
environment for a young person living with HIV to manage
and lead a fulfilling life is crucial. So we have trained family
members the community and friends in their role to
supporting the YPLHIV in schools.
• We have advocated for providing of youth friendly services
at health centers that can help them Understand the
emotional and psychological stresses that HIV and HIV
treatment can place on a young person is key to being able
to provide appropriate support.

18. Key recommendations
Education Sector:
HIV-related policy and practices should be reviewed to ensure
that they neither worsen nor reinforce stigma and discrimination
against learners or staff. Appropriate training and education
should be provided for the entire school community and
commitments made and enforced in relation to zero-tolerance of
stigma and discrimination. It is also important to initiate
mechanisms for monitoring progress.

19. Health Sector
The health sector can support the education sector (and vice
versa) by ensuring that service providers do not perpetuate
stigma and discrimination and are providing non-judgmental,
psycho-social support services (or appropriate referral) for those
experiencing stigma and discrimination. The health sector should
also be pro-active in disseminating accurate information within
local communities that acknowledges and challenges common
misunderstandings and prejudices about HIV and related issues,
including sexuality.

20. Civil Society and Networks of People living with HIV
Networks of people living with HIV and other community-based
organizations, in particular those led by young people, have a critical
role to play in supporting those affected by stigma and
discrimination. Moreover, they have an advocacy function in terms of
monitoring and reporting stigma and discrimination and bringing
these to the attention of appropriate parties (school-level, national,
etc.). Local and national media can also have a significant impact in
promoting a stigma-free environment.

21. WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENTWORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
elson Mandela:
It always seems impossible until it’s done”

23. We the Young People Living with HIV in Uganda are
now and more than ever determined to get to Zero.
HANK YOU!HANK YOU!
SANTE SANASANTE SANA
ERCIERCI